Sinusitis is an inflammation of paranasal sinus mucosa and is a disease, and its chief complaints are rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction and postnasal discharge.
The paranasal sinus mucosa has a mucus cilium transportation mechanism and takes charge of a defense mechanism in the living body by physiologically transporting and discharging foreign bodies together with mucus. It is considered that accumulation of inflammation products occurs in the paranasal sinus when ciliary movement is injured and prolongation and chronicity of inflammation are induced.
It is known that LTs (LTC4, LTD4, LTE4) are frequently detected in the nasal flow of chronic sinusitis patients (Gendai Iryo, 19: 3041 (1987)). Among these, with regard to LTC4, there are reports that it inhibits ciliary movement (Clin. Allergy, 17: 95-103 (1987) and Clin. Exp. Allergy, 20: 389-393, (1990)), while there are reports that it accelerates the movement for a short time (J. Allergy Clin. Immunol., 72: 663-667 (1983) and Acta. Physiol. Scand, 141: 415-420 (1991)). Also, it is reported that LTD4 inhibits ciliary movement but LTE4 exerts less influence upon ciliary movement (Am. J. Physiol., Vol. 271, No. 2(1), III, L216-L224 (1996)).
It is known that a compound of the formula (I) or a salt and/or hydrate thereof has an anti-allergy activity based on SRS (LTC4, LTD4, LTE4) antagonism and is used as an agent for treating asthma and the like (EP-A-0173516). Furthermore, this compound is also known as an agent for treating itching (WO 93/17709).